Valencia!

five

“Honestly Ty I think I should go it's not fun being babysat by my brother like this.” I say and look over to where Griffin and Maximus are sitting with drinks in their hands watching me dutifully.

“Why is he acting like that?” he asks, and I swallow hard “well . . .” I start and can't find the right words because not only am I slightly inebriated, this is just not an ideal situation for all parties involved.

“It's fine Valen tell me tomorrow.” he says placing his hand on my bare shoulder “do a few more shots with me then you are free to go.” he chuckles, and I agree. I move inside away from the Alpha and my brothers glare.

Ty lifts me up so that I’m sitting on the kitchen island and grabs a few jello shots from the fridge then comes to stand between my legs. “I got you all red ones.” he laughs knowing those are my favorite “Cheers.” I say merrily and we tap our little plastic cups together before tipping them back. I let the cold gelation slide down my throat leaving the slight taste of cherry in its wake.

“Hey, we didn’t even get to use the body paint yet.” I tell him pointing to all the people dancing a little provocatively in the living room with glow paint on their skin “We still have time” he says wriggling his eyebrows and I laugh

“Hey Ty catch.” one of his football friends tosses a ball to Ty and he catches it just shy of hitting me.

“Dude not in the house.” Ty tells him tossing it back. “Fine then come outside, we need your help setting up the volleyball net in the pool anyway” the kid tells him, and I laugh “Go on, if you don’t help them, they will most certainly break something.” I told Ty with a smile.

I slip off the counter and Ty grabs my hips and pulls me close. “I had fun tonight Valen.” he tells me, and I grin. I can feel the shot hitting me and I get lost in the intensity of the moment “me too.” I say grinning.

“Alright time to go!” I hear my brother's voice come from the sliding glass door. “Awesome party Ty, next time I won't bring the ol’ ball and chain.” he says pointing to Maximus whose eyes are searing my skin where Ty is still touching me.

“Max is at his limit Valen, grab a towel and let's go.” he says, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the front door.

“I can't grab a towel if you're not going to let go of me.” I tell him annoyed, and he lets go for a second. His eyes flick to Maximus for a moment nervously. “Go but hurry up.” he warns, I nod, then run to grab a towel from outside.

I rush back inside and head upstairs into Ty’s room to grab my bag, then meet my brother out by his Camero. “Are you ok to drive?” I ask him as I climb into the back “Yes Valen I only had like 3 drinks.” He tells me.

The scent of fresh pine surrounds me, and I breathe it in deeply. Maximus is quietly sitting in the passenger's seat watching me through the rear-view mirror when our eyes meet, and I look away.

A mixture of annoyance from having to leave and excitement from being near Maximus fills me.

“This has been an interesting night for everyone yeah?” my brother says breaking the silence and I let out a hollow laugh “you could say that.” I reply leaning back against the cold leather seat.

“Don't throw up in my car Valen.” my brother scolds me, and I laugh for real this time. “I don’t plan on it, but you never know.” I tease, shrugging and he glares at me then chuckles.

When an awkward silence fills the car my brother turns up his music, I let the beat flow through me and revel in Maximus’s amazing smell, until I lean forward and ask “Why do you smell so good? Is it the . . . you know.” I try not to say mate as if it’s a taboo word.

“Mate, Valencia, you can say it.” Maximus says lowly with a grin sliding across his face.

He’s being so intense, and I don’t know how to react, so I just nod and lean back against the seat.

We pull into the pack house parking lot and Maximus opens my door and helps me out. Everywhere our skin touches, I notice little tingles.

It catches me by surprise, but feels so good that I take his hand, place it on my bare torso, and guide it down my side letting the little fireworks explode against my skin. “That feels really good.” I say out loud letting the towel drop to the ground and maximus growls low.

“Valen, Good Goddess what would dad say if he saw you right now!” he says annoyed picking up my towel and tossing it at me hard enough to break me out of my trance.

“Can we at least go inside before you start touching each other.” Griffin says annoyed and pushes us both towards the pack house door.

“Wait Griffin my bag.” I tell him and he scoffs. “Fine I’ll get it, don’t touch each other.” he warns, making me giggle. “May I.” Maximus gestures towards a lock of hair that was just blown free, and I nod. His fingers gently brush my face as he pushes my hair behind my ear. “You’re so beautiful.” he says with an intense gaze, and I can feel my cheeks grow hot.

“Thank you.” I say shyly, a cold breeze blows by, and I shiver.

“Are you cold?” he asks, and I lie shaking my head no, “you are cold, aren’t you.” he says sweetly and before I knew it Maximus had removed his button up shirt, the same one he wore for graduation and placed it over my shoulders.

I look up from the ground and my eyes rake up his large, muscular body. Everything about him calls to me and I fight the urge to run my hands over every inch of him.

From his sense of style, his voice, his perfectly carved body and face as handsome as the devil himself, it’s becoming more and more difficult to even think around him.

When I looked into his eyes he grinned “do you like what you see?” He grabs my hips and pulls me flush to him and my breath catches as my body runs hot. Everywhere our skin touched had that static and I let out a sigh of pleasure.

“Oh, Valencia you don't know what you're doing to me right now.” he says in a deep, sexy voice.

I honestly don’t know what is happening between us, all I know is I like it.

“Alright you guys, I said no touching.” My brother said annoyed breaking into my thoughts, then pushes us apart, bringing me back to reality.

What the hell is wrong with me, I’m losing my sense of reason. It’s like the longer I’m with him the more I need him.

“Valen.” My brother snaps in front of my face, and I come back to planet earth. “Valen lets go . . . inside sister, move along.” He pushes me towards the side of the building.

Maximus puts in a code and the side door unlocks. I try to bring myself back to the present, I really need to think about all this. Why does he have such an influence over me?

Maximus’s sultry voice breaks into my concentration. “Come on.”

Two words is all it takes for me to lose my mind again, he reaches for my hand, and I take it as if it’s a natural action.

Maximus leads me over to a set of elevators that requires another code but doesn’t let go of me as he punches in the numbers. Once the code is entered the door springs open and he pushes 3.